EXPLORING IDENTITY, POLITICS, AND CULTURAL TRAUMA: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ICE CANDYMAN AND SUCH A LONG JOURNEY

This research paper offers a comparative analysis of Bapsi Sidhwa's Ice-Candy Man and Rohinton Mistry's Such a Long Journey, exploring themes of identity, politics, and cultural trauma in postcolonial South Asia. By examining the narrative techniques, character development, and symbolism used in both novels, the study reveals how they portray the impact of historical events like the Partition of India and the Emergency period on individual and collective identities. Sidhwa's use of a first-person narrative provides a child's perspective on the violence and displacement caused by Partition, while Mistry's third-person omniscient approach captures the socio-political tensions of 1970s India through the eyes of a middle-aged Parsi man. The paper highlights the contribution of both works to understanding postcolonial identities, particularly how trauma and memory shape cultural consciousness. It also discusses the significance of these narratives in representing marginalized communities and their struggles for survival and belonging. The conclusion suggests further research on the intersection of gender and identity in postcolonial literature and the exploration of other minority communities' experiences. This study enhances the discourse on how literature reflects and shapes the understanding of historical trauma and cultural identity in postcolonial contexts.